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Boulder Valley tightening security in wake of past year's tragedies

Differences in school designs force a varied approach across district

By Amy Bounds Camera Staff Writer

Posted:
03/03/2013 01:00:00 PM MST

Desiree Ramirez holds her identification card up to a video camera while standing next to her boyfriend, Oscar Perez, upon entering the school for a meeting with teachers on Friday at Emerald Elementary School in Broomfield.
(
JEREMY PAPASSO
)

Visitors to Boulder Valley schools will find tightened security, with schools in the last several months locking more doors and requiring more identification.

At most schools, there's no way in during the school day other than to go through the front office. Some schools will only buzz a visitor in after checking their ID's. All are expected to query visitors beforegranting them a badge and allowing them access to classrooms -- no longer relying on a sign-in honor system. All school staff members also are required to wear ID badges.

After the October abduction and murder of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway on the way to her Westminster school and the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary in December, Boulder Valley directed schools to limit access and consistently follow policies.

"The most obvious thing is doing a better job on security measures that are already in place, procedures we've become lax on over the years," said Chris Wilderman, Boulder Valley's director of environmental services. "Connecticut was eye opening. After Sandy Hook, people realized it's a serious situation."

Schools use different strategies to limit access, depending on the front entrance layout and access to technology. Schools with phone cameras -- 23 of the district's 55 buildings -- lock the front doors andbuzz in visitors after a visual identification.

"The goal is that the school is always on lockdown," Wilderman said.

He said the goal is for every elementary and middle school to have front door cameras. But, given that each camera system comes with a $4,800 price tag, it's likely cameras would need to be included in thenext request to voters for a tax increase to cover capital expenses.

Other schools funnel visitors straight into the front office, with the front office staff unlocking a set of doors to go from the office into the school only after someone has signed in. Of the district's 55 schools, 27 don't have entrances that lead directly to the front office. One of those is Boulder High School, which positions a volunteer in the open entrance to sign in visitors and provide badges.

Schools where the front doors don't funnel visitors directly to the office also could get redesigned entrances through a tax increase.

Using money from a grant, the district a couple of years ago conducted a vulnerability assessment at every school, including the physical layout and safety procedures. The district also recently evaluatedeach school for needed safety improvements and will next meet with principals to get their take.

High schools generally pose the most challenges, Wilderman said, because students come and go throughout the day. The district also is still looking for a good solution to manage access to after-schoolactivities, especially since outside groups rent schools.

At Broomfield's Emerald Elementary, Principal Samara Williams said that, when she started in the fall, she had the staff start locking exterior doors, only unlocking the front doors during lunch and recess; with many parents eating lunch with their children, that was a busy time for the office.

After Jessica Ridgeway was abducted, she said, the school started locking the front doors all day. Visitors must show their ID and say why they're visiting before the office staff will buzz them in. Thesame rules apply for parents who need to get a child early from the after-school program in the cafeteria, which has its own camera phone system.

"As much as we want to be welcoming, security is first," she said. "Even though it's more work for my front office staff, it's really made my parents feel better. You want your school to be the center ofthe community, and you want it to be safe."

Louisville's Coal Creek Elementary went a step further, not just requiring ID's but also keeping interior doors that lead to classroom wings locked during the school day. Parents are discouraged fromeating lunch with their children, according to Principal John Kiemele, and -- other than for school events or holiday parties -- only those who have have cleared a background check and will be working in theschool as a volunteer are allowed in classrooms.

At Monarch High, parent Marilyn Stansbury, who's a member of the school's accountability team, said the school accelerated its efforts to improve security after the Sandy Hook shootings. In January, theschool held an assembly to talk to students about new policies to keep all but the front doors locked.

The school's front doors feed visitors to an office window where they must sign in before they're buzzed into the building.

"I'm so proud of the kids and how they responded," she said. "There have been no complaints. The kids understand and want to be in a safe environment."

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